The Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT (FRAUNHOFER) is one of currently 75 Fraunhofer institutes in Germany. Its department for Applied Electrochemistry covers research on secondary batteries, fuel cells, redox flow batteries and electrochemical sensors. The redox flow battery group is active in the development of all vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) systems for stationary applications including materials, battery design, prototyping, performance, and safety tests. Apart from VRFB technology, the simulation of the smart and micro grids with RFB storage, control algorithms for battery management systems and control strategy for battery storage are also an increasing research topic of the group. At Fraunhofer ICT the largest VRFB research battery has been installed, which supplies the research campus with peak power of 1.5 MW power. The installation with a 2 MW wind turbine features new DC-bus connection of the battery storage via the DC-intermittent circuit of the wind turbine. Fraunhofer ICT plans also to increase generation capacity by installing a 500-kW solar power also connected to the DC-intermittent circuit in 2020, to improve availability.
During the project Fraunhofer ICT will contribute their expertise in flow battery system design and prototyping to bring together the results of the other technical work packages: At ICT’s campus the 5 kW/20 kWh AORFB demonstrator will be developed and constructed, which will later be installed in La Plana hybrid facility.
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Fraunhofer ICT is seeking to enhance their experience and knowhow in next generation organic flow batteries to be ready to address the challenges of building a decarbonized energy sector of the future.